SO....

whew!

into week 3 in B'more and things are starting to come together. Yesterday, we went to a very multi-cultural church that had really nice people, but the music was, well, smooth jazz worship. We'll be visiting again in a few weeks.

Also, I scrapped the Honda. A guy offered me $300 for it, and, honestly, I didn't want someone else driving it. The way the mechanic could shake around the front left wheel, it was an accident waiting to happen. so I'm glad it's parts are getting scattered to the four winds. Mahalo, my old friend, for your faithful service these 2.5 years. You're peppy off the block speed, caulked shut driver's window and nonfunctional windshield washers shall be missed! =(

have I ever mentioned I love Craigslist? We found our apt, Liz made 2 friends, sold a duvet to get a food processor we can't live without, helped put the honda out of its misery, and found us our new car! it's a 97 mazda 626 with 126k miles and IT"S STATE INSPECTED!!!! woohoo!

A brief caviot to my MI friends. Apparently in other states they have these strange
"safety inspections" in which out of state cars must be thoroughly scrutinized before being blessed with the local license plate. My Honda was not worthy to bear the sacred Maryland coat of arms, sadly. but for $2500, our new Mazda has its inspection, is road ready, and we don't need an additional loan! once again, woohoo!

Through writing these blogs, I've discovered how fragile and flippant my faith really is. While there have been setbacks and a few scares, we've been alright. But I have freaked out, almost daily, about money, school, etc when, as Liz put it "God's got us."

Which I know, in my head. I also know teaching the middle schools who are basically the seniors of a k8 school will, almost certainly, try me in ways I don't fully realize yet. I'm thankful for these early trials to get my eyes back where they belong. God has been more than faithful to us. Thanks, God.

So, today is running around getting cars paid for, inspected, insured and registered. How blessed i am to have such problems.

PS: Michael Phelps grew up 3 neighborhood east of us. pretty cool!

I miss you guys. we're building some great relationships here, but no Dream Cruise, no Buddys/Loui's pizza, and still no friendships so deep I can drop by at 12am to talk, watch crappy SciFi flicks or drink some cheap beer and debrief on life with. We're in a good place, but my friends have always been my family. Please know we miss you and love you all.

until next freakout! =) love yall!

well, thank you for prayers, kind thoughts and well wishes! We got approved for a relocation loan through our credit union, which will hopefully pay down those crazy credit cards in a year, and, when God sees fit, allow me to get a MacBook. No, it's not an absolute necessity, but it'd be really cool to start the year off with the right equipment, ya know? It's really a "good job, Jim! Way to finally be realizing your dream!" Or, maybe like today, the loan officer wouldn't review the loan to get us the cash, and for some strange reason the credit card we've been using wouldn't authorize the Apple purchase. Seriously, that all happened today!

Thanks, God... I guess?


Anywho, I got to spend an entire day at my school today, clean my little office/group lesson room, and hung out with Kiersten: a very cool Special Ed teacher who's also new! I found out what our school mascot is. Now, keep in mind, these have been my mascots: Wildcats, Warriors, Vikings, Scots, Pioneers, Na'Ali'i (Royalty in Hawaiian), and back to Warriors at Wayne State.

The Mascot of Woodhome Elem/Middle school is... drum roll please.....













The Warbler! A tiny, woodland bird.

It's kind of tough to build a band identity around, well, a warbler. A hawk: Sure? Falcons without the recent context: Absolutely! The WARBLER!?!?!?!?

I'm just reminding myself that it's a sweet job, which, by the way, I'll only be teaching 7th and 8th Grade Gen Music along with my 4th-8th grade bands. It's a very manageable class load!

So things are looking up. Thank again!

Love yall

... deep breath....


I knew when we moved out here we'd be living off credit cards for awhile. I didn't think it would bother me this much. On top of 8 hours of orientation and planning a day, my new credit union put holds on 2 checks we desperately needed. And our car got impounded today.

I broke down crying.


God has provided too many times to count in my life. I've written about it before. I graduated with my degree and no debt. We've survived for 2 years off a hotel job and Liz teaching dance. We've got a great apt. and a fun little poofball dog.

And I'm stressed.

The 2 churches we've visited have both preached on Elijah and his time in the desert. I can't really argue with God's point in this, but my faith is really weak. I put alot of trust in this salary to move out here instead of the God who Provides, and He's breaking me.

and it hurts.

but I can see Jordan. I see the promised provision of a good job that pays well. huh. See what I mean? Trusting money again.

So, for my praying friends out there, I know in my head we'll be alright, but if you could pray for us, that we'll trust Him in this temporary desert right now, I'd really appreciate it.

Love Y'all

I'm not sure if I actually have the energy to right about everything that has happened in the last week, but yesterday was so amazing I just had to record it.

Thursday we drove. All day. Because the Uhaul was packed and we were hauling the honda, we couldn't go over 60 mph. plus we had our new puppy Zartliche, who, though well behaved, needed frequent breaks. So an 11.5 hour drive turned into 16!!

When we actually arrived in Bmore, our block was completely packed. I had to buy 3 overnight spots in a paid lot, and haul our suitcases and my instruments a block down and up 3 flights of stairs.

yes. 3 flights of stairs.

we live in a 3rd floor walk up apt in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood, just north of Inner Harbor. I got to know those stairs REALLY well yesterday!

Friday: Unpacking.

By the grace of God and the generosity of our cross- the-street neighbor Roulf, we got spots to unload right in front of our place! Roulf also gave us several dollars in quarters for the meters and got me coffee!

We unpacked until it got too hot to. After a nap and a long walk to get more quarters, I walked Zartliche and saw a very frantic fellow moving into the 1st floor apt in our building. Now, keep in mind we had me, Liz and Rachael (bad knee included) unloading what it took 7 people to load over 3 hours.

up 3 flights of stairs

so I strapped my boots and gloves back on and lent my new neighbor a hand, for which he was extremely grateful (he needed his truck returned by 5pm!). His name is Eddie, and he's a kindred spirit in every way. He promised to help us unload after he returned, and he kept his promise.

After doing most of the heavy lifting for our stuff and helping a new friend, I was literally almost falling over. That's when our 2nd floor neighbor Dan came out and helped with the bed and the final few bags.

amazing.

we all showering, then met up with Eddie, his coworker Liza, and 2 awesome guys from Rwanda and had awesome Gyros at a great place 3 blocks away called Never On Sunday, and laughed harder than I've laughed in a long time.

It was here Liza's boyfriend George told me there's an Irish pub on the Harbor that owned and frequented by rabid Liverpool fans.

I'm home!

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a Detroiter through and through. I loved my time in GR. But Baltimore is such a perfect fit for us!! and UHaul didn't charge us for some damage to the trailer that somehow occured on the trip!

While I hate living off credit cards right now, there's a new day coming. Where I get to do what I love in a city I'm smitten with alongside the woman of my dreams.

wow

well, it's been a busy month!

Woodhome Elementary/Middle School is my new school home! After going with Liz to Baltimore, falling in love with the city and staying with good friends, we both went to the new teacher job fair, where all 190 schools in the district were represented! Liz was so crucial to any success I had at the fair, scoping out school who had band openings, talking me down from agreeing to interviews that were bad situations, and just having that immediate second opinion-- I'm a very blessed man!

Out of that job fair came 4 interviews the following day. One was a fairly rough high school with no music program at all. They had 2 female admin's that were absolutely wonderful, so we were fairly high on them after leaving.

But Woodhome was next, and I was hooked. I actually got to sit through the exiting band teacher's 3rd grade Gen. Music class. She's a fine teacher who's only leaving because she's getting married. The kids were extremely diverse and well, really cute! surprisingly well behaved, and had alot of fun! after the class we went into the principal's office, which was completely decked out in Donald Duck swag. She's a spunky, firey little Polish lady with spikey gray hair. I was intrigued. She asked me how I'd deal with overinvolved parents and middle schoolers. "You mean I get over-involved parents? That's just a bonus! "

And I'm one of those extremely strange people who love middle schoolers and think they're some of the funniest people on the planet.

We talked for awhile, and she said out of 8 people she had talked to at the fair, she had invited only me and another gentleman back for an interview. She said she'd call around 2pm either way. Liz and I left feeling really good, and as soon as we got into the car, my phone rang:

"Jim this is Ski (she calls herself Ski! short for Skowrunkski, her last name! love it!)"
"How far away are you?"
"I'm in the parking lot"
Get back in here, you're hired!"

I didn't bawl, but I was kinda tearing up walking back in. I asked her if I could attend my last 2 interviews to honor my commitments, and we agree I'd call back 10am the next day to accept or decline.

the next interview never happened.

the last interview, which would have involved starting a program from scratch was a bust.

Thanks, God.

So I'll be teaching 4th-8th grade Band and a few General Music classes. That's it!! That's my job! I'm getting paid for it!! I'm getting a salary to do what I love!! My Principal believes in me, and the program is already established and running!

it's my dream job. I'm very thankful!

It's been a long road, but God knew what I needed to learn and experience to grow as a person and as a teacher. Thanks, yall for your prayers and well wishes. It all worked out!

and now, time to move


again

3.5 years to reinforce and justify my degree to the powers that be! And, folks, it was all worth it! I've never worked harder for anything in my life! I wouldn't suggest getting a degree the 8.5 years/4 college route, but it worked for me. I don't regret any of it! Heck, I played piano on my OWN ACCORD today... just because I wanted to! How crazy!

On other notes, I went to a tasting tonight at the Chop House across from the hotel, and yet another person told me the horrors of teaching in Baltimore Public Schools. Last week , I learned about a teacher getting beat up by a student while the class cheered her on, in Baltimore City Schools. My friends Bryan and Julie have lived there 5 years and love it, Liz's coworkers wouldn't recommend Baltimore unless I taught in the private sector. And, Liz would be leaving a fantastic job here in GR.

There's alot of people who care, alot of contrary reports, but Liz and I are going out there in May to see for ourselves. My praying friends, ask God to make it crystal clear where we're supposed to be.

But, for now, it's time to celebrate, be thankful, and enjoy the fruits of the craziest college career possibly ever conceived.

Well, hey, everyone!

Been awhile. again. But there's news!

1. I had several successful interviews at a job fair at GVSU monday and tuesday, including a non-conditional contract from Baltimore County Schools. Yep, Baltimore, MD. granted, from listening to other students, they were giving them out like candy. but, I intrigued. I also had good talks with people from NYC, Vegas, and Glendale, AZ.

But Baltimore is starting to capture my imagination. It is outside DC, where housing's ridiculous, but the pay is identical to NYC, where ridiculous doesn't even begin to describe it! I'll keep you posted.

2. We're getting evicted. No, i've paid all my rent. But St. Mary's is steadily turning into Beaumont West, or the Borg, and assimilating all property in its path. We have to be out by early April. D'oh!

So many things happening at once! but somewhere in it, I see God's hand, and I'm freaking out less. Pray for us!

Sorry i haven't been in contact. Love you all!

Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it?

First off, I'm completely finished with my undergraduate education!  2 schools for my degree, 2 for my certification, 2 student teaching assignments, 5.5 piano classes, and 3 recitals later: i am a better man.  One of my biggest problems in Hawaii was I was not ready to teach.  Even at 23, which was a bit late to start, I hadn't experienced the most important lesson of my life and a most crucial one to being a good teacher: Failure.  I had succeeded at just about everything I had put my mind to, done the right things, said the right words, and the grace of God and the intellect and talent he gave me accomplished all that was set before me.  My time in Hawaii was priceless because I realized, for the first time, I was in completely over my head.  And I self-destructed.

I came home, went to work in a warehouse and on myself in recovery classes.  thought everything was perfect.  Met my future wife.  Thought things were coming together.

Shoulder gives out.  Surgury.  Wayne State University.

I take on certification classes in a sling.  Collect unemployment while in school.

Everything is falling into place.

Piano 3.  Failure.  Breakdown.  Move to Grand Rapids.  Marriage.  Unemployment.  Waiting tables at O'Charleys.  Must retake Piano 2 at GVSU. Class not available.  More failure.  Valet Runner.  Old.  Fat. 

Concierge.  Networking.  A- in Piano 2.  Good Marriage.  Healing.  B in Piano 3.

Present day:  I realize and embrace my flaws and my mistakes in life and work.  I've completed my undergrad work in 8.5 years, and the only letters after my name are B.S.  sweet.

It's been a long journey.  There aren't many jobs in this state.  But I'm ready, prepared, know what I have to offer and what I'm capable of.  And I will not, under any circumstances, sell myself short.  I've got so much to offer the right school.

In the words of Jimmy Eat World, I hope I'll be "the one who gets away.  I'm a [Hazel Park] success story, and I'll say, 'Lord, give me the strength to shake that hand."

Look out...

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, All!

Sorry i've been neglecting my post.  In the past month, Liz's harddrive crashed and my motherboard is toast.  So much for turning the financial corner, eh?

4.5 years with my dell Inspiron 8200.  No problems, until it died.  So Liz's new harddrive arrived today, a friend from work is checking out both computers to salvage data, and I wanna MAcBook!!!

So if I don't respond quickly, it's not that i don't love you.  It's because i've regressed back to my technological state circa 1997. D'oh!